Trump EPA seeks to weaken scrutiny for some of US’s most toxic chemicals

New rule would prohibit states from banning dangerous chemicals, and could invalidate hundreds of protections

A new rule proposed by the Trump administration would dramatically weaken safety reviews for some of the nation's most toxic chemicals that are already on the market, public health advocates and an EPA employee warn.

Many of the chemicals that would receive less scrutiny are among the nation's most dangerous substances, including PFAS, formaldehyde, asbestos and dioxins. Each poses serious health risks in consumer goods, or for workers handling the substances, advocates say.